2011 in review.

I know I already posted about 2011, but I thought this was cool. 2011 in review.


Moment Worth Recognizing: Getting my endowment (http://lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples/what-happens-in-temples?lang=eng).
 
Moment I Wish Never Had Even Happened 'Cause All It Did Was Leave Me Bitter: Well let's just say it's a collection of moments that weren't my choice, but they all had to do with two people.
Most Exhausting & Exhilarating Event This Year: I'm going to say teaching. It's exhausting, but oh so worth it.
Goal(s) Set & Achieved: I wanted to run a 5-k. I ran two.
Goal(s) Set & Not Achieved: Get under a certain weight. I'm about 15 pounds away, but I know I'll get it this year.
Best Discovery: Jernae. She's amazing, quite possibly the best roommate I've ever had. A good friend and an amazing person.
Movie of the Year: Billy Elliot. Not new, but I loved loved it.
Awesome Trend That Rocked The World: Party Rock Anthem. So bad, so fun.
National Anthem of the Year: Summer Breeze, by Seals & Crofts. Again, not new, but I love it.
Most Loved Album: Great Lake Swimmers, Lost Channels. So good. It's hard to pick one.
Album On Most Rotation: Not an album, a mix. My "Kate" mix, aka a killer 90's mix.
Movie I Thought Would Totally Stink But Took Me By Surprise At How Much I Enjoyed It: Thor. I thought it looked dumb, but I kinda loved it.
Most Watched TV Show: I watched all of Psych, so I'll go with that.
Biggest TV Disappointment: Two Broke Girls, not good. I can't think of anything else.
Biggest Annoyance: Social Studies, I hate hate hated that class.
Proudest Moment: Surviving, and liking, my first semester of teaching!
Most Fun Time: Laser tagging. Some of my friends and I bought VIP, year-long, passes to Toad's Fun Zone- best decision ever. No money, no problem. We have our passes and we have fun!
 
Worst Time: Fall and Holiday season. Best of times (not that much, besides the teaching and some good friends) and worst of times.
What I Wished I'd Done Every Weekend This Year: Go on a hike. Bc it would have been good. Oh, or paint.
Thing Released This Year That Became An Instant Classic & A Daily Reminder In Life: My Droid Charge (I kinda copied Abbey with this answer).
Moments of Pure Joy: I had some good runs with loads of endorphins. I finished some tough hikes. I felt the high of accomplishment. Oh, seeing my students succeed at the math Olympia.

Mini makeout post.

You know, it's not just the sluts who want to make out. We all do. Okay, well I do. All the time.

But I guess the key is that we (the non-ncmo, chaste ladies) don't act on our desires.

In the paraphrased words of lots of wise people, it's good to not always get what you want. And sometimes it's good to not get what you want right when you want it.

That's all.

Three Christmas gifts I made this year

SPINNING Music box. Mirrored sides. Hot Mexican men and me with gold puff paint on top. Blooming LIGHT UP glass flower with classy mustached man bursting forth from it's nectar. Black puff paint trimming.

Jewelry box. Astronaut, Barbie's in a bubble bath, philosoraptor, moon. Gold and Black puff paint trim. Blue velvet-ish lining.

Outside: white stuff, classy gold trim and handle.

Octagon wood Jewelry box. Spock Dog (link). Gold and black puff paint detailing. Velvet-ish lining.

Two thousand twelve.

A. Let's hope the Mayan calendar just starts up again (it's a frickin circle people) and we don't all die.

B. While 2011 had it's highlights, it was really difficult. I hope I'm able to have a better attitude and enjoy the journey a little bit more than I did in 2011.

C. Goals: Financial independence and stability. Duh, be healthier. Run a 10k. Create more. Anything, everything- I just want to create more!

I ran two 5k's this year. It may not seem like a lot to some people, but it's a butt-load to me. I shaved six minutes off of my second 5k. Now that's a big deal. Also, I had fun on my second 5k, the first one was just scary.

I made a lot of new friends and I got really close to my wonderful cousin.

 Things with the fam were rough, I'm not going to lie. But per usual with life, there was a lot of good with the bad. I love my family and I'm excited to spend eternity with them. I can't wait to see my father again in the next life. Also I look real nice, but also a little scary, in this picture.

 I had some seriously good times with friends. A lot of those good times happened at Toad's Fun Zone. Thank you year-long VIP passes! Who knew Go-Karts and Laser Tag could be SO good.

 I was able to accomplish some physical goals that seemed somewhat impossible in the past. I.e. This hike that I had to turn back on the previous year. Here I am at the finish!

 I saw some great shows. Mates of State par deux!

 We had some GREAT parties. It's funny to think about how I hated parties in H.S. (there are a few reasons for this). Currently we have about 5 parties planned for 2012 already. This one was the slightly offensive/stereotypical party. Honestly it wasn't offensive enough, we'll do better next year. I was AMERICA.

 Another good party.

 I got the most fantastic job and completed my first half year of teaching. I love my students and my job 95 percent. I can't avoid the occasional anxiety attack or pill students, but it's all worth it. I LOVE my school, my administrators, and my students!

 I went to the temple and received my endowment (Check the link for more info). This has brought SO much joy and beauty into my life, but I also think Satan has been working harder on me. The timing has been strange, but beautiful. So much has happened since "going" to the temple, but it's definitely the highlight of my year. The temple has cemented the course of my eternal path, and I love it.

D. 2011. Whew. It's been an interesting year. I have found friends and lost friends. People have come in, and people have gone out. Whenever I thought all was lost and I thought I cried all of my tears, God quickly showed me the hope of the future. When I thought things couldn't get worse I was shown how insignificant and passing those pains were. I felt a lot of pain, but I experienced extreme peace and joy.I'm sure I'm forgetting some pretty important things, but I guess it doesn't matter. In the end we just have to keep moving upward and onward! HO!

Brainillustrations.

Some are eye candy. Others are illustrations of my thoughts. Enjoy.

http://www.hatrobot.com/oldstuff.html

I am a...

I think it's interesting how much labels and titles matter to us. On the one hand people are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a label (types, colors, levels in a program, greed cults, brand names), and on the other people give their lives up to escape labels (racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, offensive).

The other day I mentioned running to an acquaintance. They asked me if I was a runner. Like a gust of wind in my brain, I was taken back to the Art department at Southern Virginia University. I remembered struggling with saying I was an artist. I mean sure I created art, I was an Art major, but was I an artist? After a lot of art making, discussion with my Senior Art Girls (I'm going to include Katie and a few younger people in this too) and professors, and talking "in-loud" to myself I decided I could say, "Yes, I am an artist."

So here I am again, wondering, "Am I an artist?...Am I a runner?" Why does it matter "what" we are? Eh, who knows. Anticlimactic much? Once again I've started a post in a mental fervor...then I go to sleep and try to finish the post a few days later. The fever is gone, and the post ends like this, but just to spice it up I'll make a list of the labels I like to have or have been given.

-Daughter of God
-Smith
-Weird
-Artist/Painter
-Runner
-Teacher/Educator
-Latter-Day Saint

YouTube Videos You simply must watch.